Identified areas for early commercial offshore projects
Romania has identified three Black Sea areas with a combined offshore wind capacity of around 3.1 GW. The selection is intended to indicate where the country’s first commercial offshore projects could be located. The largest zone is estimated to host approximately 1.9 GW, while two additional areas could accommodate around 600 MW each.
Fixed-bottom suitability and avoidance of sensitive sites
The Energy Ministry selected the locations as suitable primarily for fixed-bottom wind turbines. The process also aimed to avoid particularly sensitive areas within the Black Sea. The combined capacity of the identified zones broadly aligns with Romania’s national target of 3 GW of offshore wind by 2035.
Resource potential, wind conditions, and development requirements
Technical potential for Romania’s Black Sea is considerably higher than the identified near-term zones. Estimates cited in development work suggest the region could support around 76 GW of offshore wind, including approximately 22 GW from fixed-bottom technology and 54 GW from floating technology. Average wind speeds in the prospective zones exceed 7.5 metres per second.
Legal framework and expected commissioning timeline
Romania adopted the legal framework for offshore wind in 2024. Concessions and large-scale development will still require further implementing regulation, grid planning, and administrative preparation. The first projects could begin supplying electricity around 2030.
Accelerated growth scenario for offshore capacity
An accelerated scenario could eventually lift Romanian offshore wind capacity to around 7 GW. Under that pathway, the Black Sea could become a significant new generation centre for Southeast Europe.
